There are many different types of food packages wherein there is a plurality of stackable containers. Examples of such food carrier assemblies are shown in the following patents.
______________________________________ 1,744,552 3,091,361 3,831,507 2,594,127 3,240,610 3,949,876 2,978,142 3,305,126 4,275,815 ______________________________________
The stackable cake pans shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,744,552 are used to contain cake batter during the baking process. The patentee states that the cake such as cupcakes may be cooled in the baking pan without removal. The particular assembly of cupcake pans is designed to allow circulation of air around the baking pan so that there is a cooling of the baked product. A series of upwardly extending posts located on each pan serve as spacing members so that there is a considerable distance from the edges of each set of pans. There is no provision in this particular assembly for using a handle member for transporting any one or a plurality of these cake pans from one location to another.
The U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,127 discloses stackable ice cube trays having lid portions. However, the patentee discloses no specific association of such stackable members to a handle configuration for transporting a plurality of the containers in an assembly.
The food package shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,610 discloses stackable containers having lid members designed to effectuate the stacking function. The only mechanism for holding a plurality of stacked trays is shown in FIG. 14 with a surrounding band. This is significantly different from the particular type of cupcake carrier assembly disclosed and claimed herein.
The remaining patents cited herein show various forms of stackable container members having lid portions. However, one of the particular references disclose a mechanism by which a handle means is capable of holding and transporting either a single container or a plurality of stacked containers.